It’s hard seeing a family member, friend, or anyone close to you succumb to drug addiction. While you may want to help them, it’s not easy to determine how and when to do it.
However, even if it’s hard, someone has to do it, and if you need to be that person, you need to know the right way to do it, so you can truly help your loved one.
Of course, while not everyone struggling with substance abuse has the same circumstances, there are some ways to help that are always effective.
To help you, we’ve made this guide on how to help a friend who’s struggling with drug addiction, so you can lead them to seek the professional help that they need.
Signs that a family member of friend is struggling with drug addiction
Before offering your help, it’s vital to determine if your assistance is actually needed. In short, you need to know if they might be addicted to drugs. These are the biggest signs that a family member or friend is struggling with drug addiction:
- Behavioral changes
- Mood swings
- Poor judgment
- Failure to take care of responsibilities
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Lack of personal hygiene and grooming
- Loss of interest in things they used to love
- Strained relationships
- Bloodshot eyes or small pupils
- Tremors, shaking, and slurred speech
- Unstable coordination when walking
- Sudden weight changes
Furthermore, you should also look out if your friend has any of these items:
- Empty bottles
- Syringes
- Packets that may be used to pack drugs
- Pipes
- Excessive amounts of foil
- Excessive amounts of prescription drugs
How to help your friend
It’s not easy to help a friend with drug addiction. It’s not a normal scenario, which means it’ll also be a challenging experience for you. Here are some effective ways to help your friend with drug addiction:
- Your friend may not believe that their drug addiction is an issue – They find comfort in their addiction, and to them, it may not be wrong. Of course, it is, and you need to help them.
Talk to your friend or family member and discuss why it’s wrong and how it’s negatively affecting their life.
Using drugs is comfortable for them, which means they’ll most likely find ways to justify it. While you shouldn’t let it be, it’s also essential to stay calm in the process so you can provide them with the best help that you can give.
- Talk to them when they’re sober – Your friend won’t be able to take in what you’re saying when they are under the influence. To make sure that you talk to them sober, try to talk to them and schedule a time where you can talk while they are sober.
- Have respect – Your friend will listen to you. Even though they might not be in their best state now, they will listen to you if you speak to them with respect.
They might have trouble accepting that it’s bad for their health and life. But, when you tell them how their drug problem is adversely affecting the people they love, they’ll most likely listen.
But, to ensure it will be a productive conversation, give them respect even if you’re telling them about their mistakes.
- Sometimes, you need help – If what you’re trying to do isn’t helping, it might be time to seek help from others. Try asking some of your friend’s family members or other friends to be with you while you speak and encourage them, as it might help them be more comfortable. Of course, some people don’t like being talked to in groups, so make sure to gauge if it’s alright with them.
- Make them feel you’re there – Most people struggling with drug addiction might alienate themselves from close friends and family to hide their drug use. However, even if they try to hide, never make them feel you’re not there for them. Recovering from drug addiction is a hard process that requires patience and acceptance. But, you can make it easier for them to handle when they know you’re there for them.
- Steer clear of emotional appeals – If you want your friend to listen and cooperate with you, never use emotional appeals to get them to get help. Don’t guilt them into treatment, as while it may work, it’s not the right way, and it might be negative for them in finishing their drug addiction treatment. Avoid criticizing, threats, and emotional appeals, as it will only make them go away from you.
- Encourage treatment for drug addiction – When you talk to your friend, don’t go straight into treatment. It’s vital to make them comfortable first and hear them out. Once you feel it’s alright to talk about treatment, start by discussing how getting sober will help them build their life back and how getting professional treatment can help them even more. Also, assure them that you’ll still be there before, during, and after they get treatment so they can feel your support. Through this, you can encourage treatment, which, hopefully, will finally end their drug addiction problem and help get their lives back on track. Should you need help, please consider this medication-assisted treatment for Opioid help since they offer drug medications alongside counseling and effective behavioral therapies.
Get them the best treatment at the best environment
Effective treatment always needs the best professionals and the best environment, and you can get both of those at Calm Rehab Bali, a rehabilitation center situated in one of the most beautiful places in Indonesia, where your friend can stay and enjoy while they eliminate drug addiction with the help of the best addiction treatment professionals.